Skylight roller shade



April 29, 19411. E. F. PIDGEON SKYLIGHT ROLLER SHADE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 10, 1940 April 29, 1941. E. F. PIDGEON 2,240,416

SKYLIGHT ROLLER SHADE Filed Oct. 10, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l imerfl PM m Patented Apr. 29, 1941 UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE SKYLIGHT ROLLER SHADE 5 Elmer F. Pidgeon, spasm, Ind. Application October 10, 1940, Serial No. 360,647 I f5 Claims. (Cl. 156-23) This invention relates to a novel support for skylight or ceiling window shades and more particularly to means for eifectively supporting the window shade, when drawn, insubstantially a horizontal position adjacent to the window frame to preventthe shade from sagging and to hold the shade in a position close to the window frame for excluding the passage of light therethroug'h.

More particularly, it is an aim of the invention to provide ,a'device of simple construction by means of which a window shade may be readily mounted on a skylight and supported when in a drawn position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, which illustrate apreferred embodiment thereof, and wherein: V Y

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view showing a skylight or ceiling window equipped withthe invention and showing the shade in a partly drawn position,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same,

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the supporting member,

Figure 4 is an end view in elevation of the same,

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 5-5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 and taken substantially at a right angle thereto, and

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional View taken substantially along the plane of the line !I of Fi ure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, l designates generally a skylight or ceiling window, of conventional construction, including a frame II and a window opening 12.

The invention includes an elongated supporting member, designated generally l3 which is angular in cross section including a narrow side l4 and a wide side [5. The side I4 is provided with openings l6 for receiving the fastenings I! for securing the supporting member l3 to one end of the window frame I I with the side l4 disposed against the frame II and the side l depending downwardly therefrom and in substan tially a perpendicular position. A window shade roller bracket I8 is attached to the side l5 adjacent each end thereof. The roller brackets I 8 are disposed on the inner side of the side l5 and extend toward the opposite end of the skylight) for supporting a spring rol-ler IS on which is wound a window shade 20. The window shade 2!] is provided with spaced, transversely disposed cloth pockets 21 which contain metal stays 22 to stiifen the wind-ow shade to prevent it from sagging lengthwise, for a purpos which will hereinafter become apparent.

A plurality of base members 23 are attached to the inner side of the side I5 by fastenings 24, adjacent the lower edge thereof and in spaced apart relationship relatively to one another. Each of the base members 23 is provided with an internally threaded socket 25 to receive a threaded end, not shown, of an L-shaped supporting arm 26. The long ends of the supportinglarmszfi are attached to the base members 23 and said arms extend outwardly from the side I5 beneath the window shade brackets I8 and roller l9. and are turned upwardly therebeyond. As best seen in Figure 5, the upturned end of each of the arms 26 is threaded to engage theinternally threaded socket portionZl of a head 28 which is provided with a bifurcated upper end 29 through the furcations of which extends a bolt 30 on which is mounted a sleeve member 3| which is disposed between said furcations.

A plurality of rods 32 are each attached at one end by a fastening 33 to the opposite end of the frame II. The rods 32 are disposed in spaced apart relationship relatively to one another and in positions corresponding to the supporting arms 25. The rods 32 are provided with downwardly offset free ends which extend toward the arms 26 and each of which is provided with threads, not shown, for engaging a threaded end, not shown, of a conventional turnbuckle 34. An end of a strand of heavy gage wire 35 is swivelly mounted in the opposite, eyelet end 36 of each of the turnbuckles 34. The opposite ends of the wires 35 are passed around the sleeves 3| of the supporting arms 26, which are complementary to the turnbuckles 34 and rods 32 to which the opposite ends of the wires 35 are connected. Said last mentioned ends of the strands of wire 35, as previously mentioned, are passed around the sleeves 3| and are then fastened at 31 to the upturned ends of the arms 26 beneath the socket portions 21.

A pulley 38 is mounted on the last mentioned end of the frame II. A draw cord 39 is attached at one end to the free end 48 of the shade 20 and is trained over the pulley 38 and extends downwardly therefrom to be anchored around a conveniently positioned cord cleat, not shown.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the turnbuckles 34 may be turned to tension the wires 35 to retain them in substantially a horizontal position adjacent and substantially parallel to the window I and substantially parallel to one another. The cord 39 may be drawn for drawing the shade 20 over the wires 35 so that the shade 20 when drawn will be disposed between the wires 35 and the window frame I I. The shade 20 is adapted to be sufiiciently wide and long to substantially overlap the window opening 12, when drawn, to totally exclude the passage of light therethrough. The strands of wire 35 will hold the drawn shade 20 adjacent to the window l0 and will prevent the shade from sagging transversely. The metal stays 22, as previously explained, will prevent the shade from sagging longitudinally between the wires 35 and will thus cooperate with the wires 35 for holding the shade in substantially a horizontal plane when drawn. The roller I9 is intended to be provided with an extra'strong spring for winding the shade 20 with the stays 22 thereon. The roller I9 and shade 20 can be removed from the brackets I8 without detaching the wires 35 or removing any of the other parts of the shade support.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to as only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been i disclosed.

I claim as my invention:

a 1. A shade support for overhead windows comprising a supporting member attached to one end of the frame of an overhead window, said supporting member having a depending plate provided with shade roller brackets for supporting a window shade and roller; supporting arms secured to. the lower portion of said supporting member and having free ends disposed beyond and above the window shade brackets, and strands of wire extending from the free ends of said arms and connected to the opposite end of the window frame for supporting the window shade in substantially a horizontal position adjacent to the window frame when the shade is drawn.

2. A support for window shades for overhead windows or skylights comprising a window shade and roller mounted at one end of an overhead window frame, supporting means disposed partially around the window shade roller and terminating thereabove, wires attached to said supporting means and to the end of the window frame remote to the end adjacent which the shade roller is mounted, for supporting the window shade in a horizontal position and adjacent the window frame when drawn.

3. A device as in claimm2, said window shade being provided with transverse reinforcing stays.

4;. A support for window shades for ceiling windows or skylights comprising a supporting member, angular in cross section, having one side attached to the frame of the ceiling window or skylight and the other side depending downwardly therefrom, said last mentioned side being provided with window shade brackets for mounting a Window shade and roller, a plurality of L- shaped supporting arms connected to said de: pending side below the window shade brackets and extending outwardly therefrom beyond the window shade brackets and upwardly to above the level of the window shade brackets, a strand of wire attached at one end to each of the last mentioned, free ends of said supportin arms, said strands of wire being attached attheir opposite ends to the opposite end of the window frame and being disposed adjacent and substan tially parallel to the window frame for supporting the i o shade h n n a a n p sition. adjacent to the window frame,

5. A device as in claim 4, each of the last mentioned, free ends of the arms including a detachable head portion having a bifurcated upper end having a rod extending therethrough and over which the strand of wire, associated with said arm, is disposed.

ELMER, F. PIDGEON.. 

